Your running technique plays a major role on the choice of footwear. Many specialist shops assess your running technique by videoing you run totally barefoot on a treadmill, such as Road Runner Sports. It’s quite an eye-opener to see how you run with the cameras set at ankle height. It’s worthwhile doing the assessment and buying the right type of running shoe to protect your muscles and joints from compensatory patterns and potential injury.

Normal pronators with normal arch will see your ankle roll inward up to fifteen percent and push off evenly from the front of the foot. You would need a moderate pronation control shoe or stability support shoe.

Over-pronators will generally be flat footed. Your ankle will roll inwards more than fifteen percent and you will push off from the big and second toe only. You would need a motion control shoe or stability support plus shoe to control pronation. You may damage your muscles and joints if you ran barefoot, barefoot technology or shoes for neutral runners with standard insoles.

If you are a Supinator (Under-Pronator) you would be landing more on the outside edge of your foot, have a high arch and tight Achilles tendon. A neutral cushioned shoe without stability devices and softer midsole to allow more flexibility for natural pronation, works for Supinators.